UK minister apologises for overselling ID cards

The UK government are trying new kinder, gentler tactics to persuade people about the need for ID cards now that public support for the idea is dropping off. Home Office minister Tony McNulty who is in charge of the scheme has admitted that the government got a bit carried away in implying that the ID cards might

"be a panacea for identity fraud, benefit fraud, terrorism, and entitlement and access to public services...

Perhaps we ran away with it in our enthusiasm. I apologise for our overselling the case for ID cards ..."

That's a bit of a turn up for the books but the cynic in me sees it as little more than more politicking, since they are going ahead with the scheme anyway and they're still going on the attack against the LSE and other critics. The Guardian article seems to be suggesting that the sudden realisation of the existence of a procedural blockage could be behind the softer approach. Apparently the House of Lords will be able to stop the cards being made compulsory because the government intended to slip this through in secondary legislation. But if the Lords say no to this there will be nothing the government can do about it.

This is a classic example of where arcane but supremely important constitutional procedures, of almost no interest to all but the dedicated few, have a real, direct, practical effect on the lives of every citizen. If that's what it takes to kill the ID card proposals currently on the table then more power to those Lords' elbows.